Sandviks (Bush Axes) actually useful?

J

jpeeler

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Jan 25, 2013
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I'm looking at brush clearing options, mostly for small trees and bushes. I've heard a sandvik type bush axe is great for this, but has anyone here used one a lot? I see wetterlings makes one- is it worth the $90? Any experience would be welcome.
 
Yes, I've used them. They do work well on small to mid-sized brush. But heavy impacts on larger brush knock the blades loose. I never found a situation where a good machete didn't work better. Some of my co-workers like the brush axe because the blades are interchangeable. A dull blade can be replaced instead of sharpened if you don't like sharpening.

So basically it's a tool for sissies who can't sharpen their machetes.
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Alocksly said:
This is my preferred brush axe.

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Yeah. Good ol' American brush axes send those weird replaceable blade jobbies running for cover. I also agree that a good machete does a better job than one.
 
The reason I'm looking into it is I hear from so many of our brothers up north that they are the go-to tool for trail and portage clearing. I too am worried about the durability of the blade setup.
 
That's probably because they either don't have or know how to use a good brush hook or machete. :D

I'm up north and wouldn't be caught dead with one of the replaceable blade thingamajigs.
 
Looking at other options- I'm not a huge machete fan, at least not with a longer blade. Has anybody used a brush axe on a shorter handle, like maybe 28"?
 
In my neck of the woods, a lot of professional foresters use them for opening up property lines, and opening up sight-lines for surveying & traversing.
To these guys, having a replacement blade as opposed to field sharpening is a bonus, as is the relative safety of a Sandvik. You'd really have to
be trying to hurt yourself with one, and you can throw the thing in your backpack headfirst all day long.

FortyTwoBlades said:
That's probably because they either don't have or know how to use a good brush hook or machete. :D

I'm up north and wouldn't be caught dead with one of the replaceable blade thingamajigs.
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If I was a professional forester, I wouldn't be caught dead encountering some berry pickers or mushroom seekers carrying around
a big old machete.
 
My wife an her ex-husband an son have a Surveying Co. to cut lines the son will only use SANDVIKS with some re-enforcement on it! I think he wraps the handle with allot of Duct tape, to protect the handle from damage, because he cut's his line's real fast that way! with out worrying about hitting the top of the handle....an the father still uses traditional Machete's.
 
jpeeler said:
Looking at other options- I'm not a huge machete fan, at least not with a longer blade.
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Why? If used with a lanyard they're perfectly safe. And they are much more effective and faster than a Sandvik.

But if you want the function of a machete and don't like machetes then the Sandvik or equivalent is what you need. Incidentally, it could use a lanyard as well if you're using it one handed.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Yeah. Good ol' American brush axes send those weird replaceable blade jobbies running for cover. I also agree that a good machete does a better job than one.
Click to expand...

If I'm clearing salmonberry or anything with a larger, woody stem I like the brush hook. A full two handed swing will send it through like a scythe, cutting a five to six foot wide swath; advance one step and repeat. Saplings several inches in diameter tend to fall with one swing too. It's certainly not as lightweight or portable as a machete but for clearing a large area it goes quicker. The full length axe handle means I'm bending over less too (assuming I'm trying to cut stuff off close to the ground).
 
I don't like the weight balance of machetes, and am looking for something with more handle than blade. Also, I'm gonna be going through lots of saplings/small trees, so I'm thinking the american style brush axe might be a good route.
 
Now THAT'S what I'm talking about! Thanks Peg, that could be just what I'm looking for. Shape of a Sandvik, but way sturdier and should cut cleaner. Anybody used one of these on an off chance?
 
I've not used one, but I understand that the earlier runs of them had loose handles. As long as it's a later example it should be fine. Just buy from someplace that has good inventory turnover.

It's based on the Finnish "vesuri" tool.

harman_vesurit.jpg
 
Alocksly said:
If I'm clearing salmonberry or anything with a larger, woody stem I like the brush hook. A full two handed swing will send it through like a scythe, cutting a five to six foot wide swath; advance one step and repeat. Saplings several inches in diameter tend to fall with one swing too. It's certainly not as lightweight or portable as a machete but for clearing a large area it goes quicker. The full length axe handle means I'm bending over less too (assuming I'm trying to cut stuff off close to the ground).
Click to expand...

Yup! That's exactly how it's meant to be used--pendulous golf-club style swings with the edge of the bill upward-facing. Really good for circumstances where even a bush blade on a scythe is insufficient. Sort of an axe/scythe hybrid in terms of the role it fills. I don't use mine often, but it's one of the fastest ways I know to take out a big patch of thorny bushes on rocky ground.
 
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